The invention relates to a method for identifying, determining, localizing at least one arbitrary object and/or room and for picking up the at least one object using a robot, particularly a service robot, which is conveyed independently on a foundation, and to a system for carrying out the method.
Such methods and systems are known on the market and are in common use in a wide variety of forms and versions.
In particular, mobile platforms, robots, service robots or the like are known which are equipped with extremely complex environment detection systems, such as ultrasound scanners, laser scanners or the like.
In addition, such mobile platforms contain image processing systems, for example for identifying, scanning in or capturing data for objects in rooms. Corresponding mobile platforms are also known which have environment identification devices for identifying particular objects or the like.
So that such mobile platforms and robots can be conveyed independently in different rooms, they frequently have associated position-finding systems. These are inaccurate and need to be realigned often.
In addition, particularly such position-finding systems require exact control and, in particular, programming in order to move these mobile platforms, particularly robots, to the desired location. Such robots are frequently provided with appropriate motion sensors for identifying an obstacle, for example.
A drawback of the conventional mobile platforms, particularly robots, is that although such environment detection systems, image processing systems and position-finding and motion systems are known on the market in a variety of forms and versions, the complexity of the technology and the extremely high manufacturing costs mean that they are not marketable. Particularly for the consumer, for example as a household or office aid, such mobile platforms are not at all suitable, since they are too expensive to buy and are too complex to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,832 describes a system for transporting goods using a movable module which can be conveyed in relation to a second vehicle for the purpose of transferring goods. So that the vehicles can be moved exactly in relation to one another, a plurality of different systems using transmitters and receivers and using lasers and bar codes are required.
DE 299 12 726 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,121 describe driverless vehicles which can be conveyed on rails and are provided with a transponder element for determining their position at quite particular positions.
The present invention is based on the object of providing a method and a system for identifying, determining, localizing at least one arbitrary object and/or room which eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks and which provide a system, particularly a method, for picking up arbitrary objects in an arbitrary room and dropping them off or providing them at desired locations in a simple, exact and inexpensive manner.